The adaptation of biomass mash to long-term storage, handling and use as a feedstock in animal feeding as well as substrate for the production of semi-manufactured products, such as sugar juice has been hampered by high viscosity of the biomass mash and low control on the fermentation process under anaerobic conditions. These two factors combined have posed a major impediment on the perspectives of biomass mash as a source of a homogeneous feed and of semi-manufactured products.
Combined base-acid treatments referred to in the literature, such as US 2008 102502, relate to an energy-intensive destruction of ligno-cellulosic biomass in biomass comprising a high lignin content at highly elevated temperatures, often in combination with enzymes.
Hence, a less energy consuming method of preparing a high feed quality biomass mash would be advantageous. Moreover it would be advantageous to provide a biomass mash having reduced viscosity.